Ditching-machine.



L. E. ASHE.

DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented June 16, 1914.

L. B. ASHE.

DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1912 Patented June 16, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LLOYD E. ASHE, VASSAR, MICHIGAN.

DlTCHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Application filed July 19, 1912. Serial No. 710,483.

- To all whom it may concern.-

This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in ditching machines and the purpose thereof consists in the provision. of a simple machine of this character for cutting ditches or drains in an expeditious manner and for removing the dirt and discharging the same at opposite sides of theditch.

The primary purpose of the invention consists in providing a machine which is devoid of the usual cumbersome and intricate working parts usuallv found in machines of this character. whereby the draft is considerably decreased so as to permit a more economical use of the machine, as well as decreasing the nossibilitv of'the device getting out. of workin order.

Another essential obiect of the invention is to provide a ditchin machine having an excavating oint carried by a wheeled frame and adapted to discharge on to an endless elevator for conveving the excavated material to the rear end of the machine where the same isdischarged on to a chute for depositing the same at opposite sides of the ditch while means are also provided for raising and lowering the point and forward end o the elevator to regulate the depth of nations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved ditching machine in use but with the nearest longitudinal beam removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine, Fig. 3 is a l ngitudinal sectional view of the machine, Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the machine, Fig. 5 is'a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2. and Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

The ditching machine comprises two main longitudinal beams 10the same being suit-- ablv sup orted at their forward ends by traction wheels 11 rotatablv mounted upon the journal ends of a front axle 12 from which the forward portions of the beams 10 are suspended rioridlv as shown. The beams 10 are also similarlv supported beneath the rear axle 13 rearwardlv of which their extend. the said rear axle l3 havinq traction wheels 14 iournaled on its ends and the beams 10 are moun ed on t e axles l2 and 13 on each side of the lon it inal centers of the axles for the acc mm n f he ditching a aratus which will he hereinafter more fullv des ribed. Rt vidlv FPourpd to and nroiectin forw rdlv of t e ax e 1 is a draft ton ue 15 which is provided wi h a four-horse e ener l for the attac m nt of f r draft animals in advancing the machine.

A elevator frame 17 is d nosed in an inr-lined osition between the beams 10 and is nivotallv surmorted on the latter near its rear end and forwardlv of the ax 13 by means of a p e 19 which is secure o e upper faces of he beams and r ided with spaced upw rdly extending anertured hearions 19 while the ele at r-frame carries a plate 20 having depending aperturpd hear-- ing members 21 pivotallv secured between the bearing members 19 by a pin 22 so as to allow pivotal movement of the forward end of the elevator frame toward and away from the ground surface.

Rotatably mounted or iournaled in the forward and rear ends of the elevator frame '17 andbetween the sides thereof, are rollers 23 and 24 which have an endless elevator or conveyer 25 engaged therearound and operating overan intermediate apron 26 connecting the side portions of the elevator frame, and, the endless band forming the elevator or conveyer carries transversely disposed and equi-distantly spaced scoops or buckets 27 for recei ing and conveying the excavated material from the forward end of the ma chine or elevator to the rear end thereof.

An elevator point 28 is secured to the forward end of the elevator frame 17 and is adapted to be projected into the ground surface in the manner of a plow to hoist or discharge the dirt on to the elevator to be conveyed upwardly and rearwardly by "the scoops or buckets 27.

'Keyed to the shaftsof the rollers 23 and 24 toward the inside of the elevator frame 17 are sprocket wheels 29 and 30 respectively, around which endless drive chains 31 operate and are continuously driven during the advancement of the machine by engagement of one chain with a sprocket wheel 31' driven by a pinion 32 carried by the adjacent rear traction wheel 14 and a gear wheel 33. rotatably supported upon the adjacent end of the axle 13 upon a bearing 34 and dis- ,posed in mesh with the sprocket wheel 32 at all times, so as to continuously operate the elevator by engagement with the lower lap of the endlessdrive chain engaged with said sprocket wheel. A. bracket 35 is secured to the upper faces of the rear end of the beams 10 and projects rearwardly thereof for supporting a chute having oppositely inclined side portions 36 extending beyond'the sides of the beams whereby as the elevated dirt or material is discharged from, the scoops or buckets 27 at the rear end of the conveyer, such dirt and material will fall on to the apex portion of the chute and be discharged by gravity down the inclined side portions to the opposite sides of the machine. It is of course understood that one side of the chute may be removed or obstructed in order to discharge the materials at one side of the machine only. 1

In order to raise or lower the excavating point'28 at the forward end of the elevator, according to the desired depth of the ditch to be cut or the condition of the ground surface, that is when hard or soft, I provide a pair of vertical rack bars 37 having teeth 38 on their rear faces and upper portions while their lower ends operate through pairs of ides 39 projecting from one side of each cam 10 while the lower ends of the rack bars are connected to the elevator frame near its forward end by an arch as shown at 40. Large hand wheels 41 are rotatably mounted on upright bearings 42 carried upon the beams 10 and are provided with piaiions 43 normally in mesh with the teeth of the rackbars and adapted to be manually rotated through the medium of radial hand grips or arms 44 carried by the hand wheels 41 so as to move the rack bars vertically and correspondingly raise or lower the excavator point. During this adjustment, the elevator frame 17 will pivot upon the pin 22 and since the portion of the elevator frame disposed forwardly of the pivot is greatly increased in length relative to the portion projecting rearwardly of said pivot, the rear end of the elevator frame will have comparatively little movement with respect to the forward end thereof and will not interfere with the proper discharge of the dirt or materials on to the chute.

A soil loosening or scraping device 45 is mounted between the rear ends of the beams 10 and between the rear wheels 14 so as to operate in the rear of the excavating point and elevator which device comprises in general. a frame portion from which the points 46 depend, as well as cultivator disks 47 and the forward end of the frame is pivotally connectedto the beams 10 forwardly thereof by link rods 48. This soil loosening or scraping device is capable of adjustment toward and away from the ground surface through the medium of a pair of vertically extending. operating screws 49 preferably engaged through bracket sleeves 50 secured between the beams 10 while the lower ends of the screws are swiveled to brackets 51 secured to the upper face of the frame forming the soil loosening or scraping device 45 and are capable of manual operation by means of hand wheels 52 carried at the upper ends of the operating screws.

1n the operation of the machine, with the draft animals attached to the evener 16 the plow point and scraping device are held in a raised position and the machine drawn to the desired point upon the traction wheels 11 and 14. The point is then lowered through the medium of the operating wheels 41 to engage the ground surface whereby during the advancement of the machine, the point will elevate the surface dirt which is loose and the scraping device is then lowered for operation beneath the machine and the dirt directly behind and in rear thereof is loosened whereby the next operation of the point will increase the depth of the ditch and the operation is to be continued until the required depth is obtained.

It will thus be evident that a machine constructed in accordance with the foregoing description and as illustrated in the accompanving drawings, will be void of all intricate working parts generally employed in devices of this character and it will be further seen that since the draft of the machine is correspondingly decreased, the full benefit is derived from the weight of the machine for permitting the point of the elevator to operate at a much increased depth and thereby more expeditiously complete the drains. I claim: The combination with a wheeled frame including spaced side members, of an elevator pivotally supported upon said frame, an excavating point at the forward. end of the elevator, vertically adjustable lead screws mounted on the frame at the rear of the excavating point, a second frame supported by the lead screws at the lower ends of the latter, and plow elements carried by the second frame for loosening the soil to a greater depth than the excavating point.

In testimony whereof, I afli'xrmy signature, inpresence of two witnesses.

LLOYD E. ASHE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. RICHARDSON, M. G. RICHARDSON.- 

